Old South Haven Presbyterian ChurchOpen Hearts, Open Minds, Anchored in Christ’s Love

2010 Issue 1

Pastor’s Corner

Pastor Tom Philipp

I Just Want to Thank ....

Continued, Back Page

Sunday, January 17 was a full day. After Worship, at which we welcomed Mark Quintana as our new organist, I needed to do a couple of errands. The afternoon began with dropping a friend off at the Ronkonkoma train station. Then I picked up Rev. Erik Rasmussen and his wife Meg. We headed over to Huntington for a Martin Luther King Celebration and Choir Concert. When I got home after 10pm, I sat down and watched part of the Golden Globe Awards. This will be followed by the Tonys, the Emmys, the Oscars, and no doubt others.

It is fun listening to winners express their gratitude to “those who made it possible.” Sometimes the lists go on and on until the director of the program cuts the person off by having the orchestra begin playing. Gradually the volume increases until the award winner realizes he or she cannot compete with that and waves to the audience and sits down. Of course, we have no idea who any of the people being thanked are except when the winner indicates the person is a parent, a spouse, directors, fellow actors, makeup artist, wardrobe personnel or what have you. The ritual of naming names and expressing gratitude, however, conveys a significant message. No one makes it alone. All of us are dependent on others just for our own survival.

Did you ever stop to think how many people you depend upon during the course of a day or a week? As I write this article I am doing my own list, knowing I will not cover half of them. When I stop for gas at the local station, an attendant fills my tank even though I pull up to a self service pump. My stiff hands do not permit me to pump my own gas and the attendants know that. They graciously fill the tank and just smile when I insist on tipping them. What about waitresses or waiters who really take an interest in their customers, wanting to be sure they are satisfied with the service they gave. I learned the other day about an individual who because of health has to be careful what he orders. This individual eats regularly at a particular restaurant where one of the waitresses knows what he can and cannot eat and makes suggestions to him. How's that for service! What about nurses and health aides who deal with people who are dependent on them for even the most basic needs, clean up after “accidents” or try to smile after a patient has acted in unkind ways.

I walk through supermarkets and realize

PersonnelDarcy Stevens

OSH welcomed Mark Quintana as our new organist

and choir director on Jan 17. We are happy that he has chosen to share his music and enthusiasm with us.

A special thank you to Peggy Angus! She lovingly and with her signature grace and good humor, was our organist/choir director during the months of our search. We also thank Kappy and many others who assisted with transportation.

Music DepartmentMark Quintana

Mark graduated from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, NY, majoring in piano, voice and music education. Later his studies included church organ.

Mark played for a church in California for approximately 1 year and developed his career teaching 23 years with the Los Angeles Unified Schools. He is currently substituting for the Shelter Island School District, pursuing singing and song writing, and working on his Masters at

Five Towns College. Before coming to OSH, Mark was the organist at the East Marion Community Church for 5 years.

The Choir is doing well. Their first performance of the New Year was on Sunday, January 31st and they look forward to many offerings in the future.

Bet You Didn’t Know ...From 1859 to 1895, the Annual Meeting of the parish was held on the last Saturday of December—even when it fell on Christmas. Elders, once elected, served on Session until their death or resignation.

Board of DeaconsKappy Tilney

As mentioned in the last newsletter, Old South Haven, participating with several other local churches, helped provide a Thanksgiving Day meal

for the local community at the Hagerman Fire Department. While attendance was lower than expected, we are hopeful for the future. The volunteer response was overwhelming. This Thanksgiving, with more publicity, we anticipate a more proportionate response between attendance and volunteers. Sixteen people from Old South Haven volunteered in one way or another (planning, baking or serving). Thank you all so very much.

During the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, the Deacon's “adopted” four families. Two food baskets were given for Thanksgiving and Christmas giving included toys, clothes and grocery gift cards for two families.

As in the past, 182 stockings were stuffed for the residents of the Brookhaven Town House on Beaver Dam Road. The Deacons would appreciate any suggestions for small, useful items that can be included in this year's stockings. The Deacons extend a thank you for the many generous and giving hands that enabled us to increase our giving. Christmas cards, plants and flowers wishing Christmas joy and peace were sent and/or delivered.

As we begin a new year filled with personal resolutions, the Deacons ask that you also resolve to increase your giving to the Food Shelf. We are, of course, always appreciative of whatever you can do.

On the subject of food, the Deacons are thinking about compiling a church cookbook. Deacon Cathy Kellogg has kindly agreed to be our editor. Please give Cathy your favorite recipe/recipes for inclusion. We will keep you posted about the project's progress.

The Deacons wish you and your families a blessed and healthy new year.

Haiti Disaster Relief

One Great Hour of Sharing

The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Fund was able to release $100,000 immediately upon the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti. Within a week that was supplemented with another $400,000, a result of individuals, churches, and presbyteries responding. Our own Presbytery of Long Island is offering up to $7,500 in matching monies, as monies are sent to the Presbytery for this emergency. The monies sent by our national church have been from the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering received each year on Palm Sunday. See following article.

Contribution to Haiti Disaster relief may be made through Old South Haven Presbyterian Church. Just make sure your contribution is marked for Haiti Disaster Relief.

Once again Old South Haven will participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. One Great Hour was established more than sixty years ago, in response to the devastation of World War II. A Saturday evening nationwide broadcast asked Americans to give generously the next morning in their churches. A remarkable variety of national leaders and celebrities gave their efforts to the broadcast, and more than 75,000 churches responded. You can learn more about this dramatic story by checking the website: www.pcusa.org/oghs/history.htm.

This offering is ecumenical in that each denomination gives some of the gifts received for shared ministry through Church World Service. However, each denomination decides how the gifts its members give will be used. Presbyterians divide monies into three programs: The Self-Development of People; Presbyterian Disaster Assistance; and Presbyterian Hunger Program. For at least the past ten years, the offering has received about $20 million among the denominations; the Presbyterian Church has received $8 million to $11 million for at least the past twenty years. You may receive a report on projects funded by visiting the website: and for a complete financial accounting at .

On March 7, 14, and 21 the Sunday morning bulletin will contain an insert on various projects, and three members of our congregation will tell additional stories. The Offering will be received on Palm Sunday, March 28. Old South Haven members and friends have always given strong support to this ministry.

www.pcusa.org/oghs/whatgiftsdo.htm www.pcusa.org/oghs/financials.htm

“The Future of Faith” by Harvey CoxA Book Review by Pastor Tom

While on a week's vacation in Lindenhurst, Illinois I got some reading done. One book I found most stimulating is Harvey Cox's new book “The Future of Faith” (Harper Collins, 2009). Dr. Cox is the Hollis Professor of Divinity, where he has taught since 1965, both at Harvard Divinity School and in the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences. For the last four decades Harvey Cox has been the one of the leading trend spotters in American religion.

In his new book he sees an essential change taking place in what it means to be “religious” today. Religious people today are more interested in ethical guidelines and spiritual disciplines than in doctrines. Cox says the result is a universal trend away from hierarchical, patriarchal, and institutional religion.

This recent move away from dogmatic religion is explained against the backdrop of three distinct periods of church history. The first which Cox titles “The Age of Faith” covers the first three centuries of Christianity when the early church was more concerned with following Jesus' teaching. Says Cox, “To be a Christian meant to live in his Spirit, embrace his hope, and to follow him in the work that he had begun.”

The second period Cox calls the “Age of Belief” in which faith in Jesus was replaced with beliefs and doctrines about him. The major turning point came when Emperor Constantine the Great (d. 387 AD) made Christianity 'legal' and crowned it as the official religion of the Roman Empire and imposed leadership over the churches by appointing and

dismissing bishops, paying salaries, funding buildings, and distributing funds. Says Cox, “from an energetic movement of faith it coagulated into a phalanx of required beliefs, thereby laying the foundation for every succeeding fundamentalism for centuries to come…Christianity, at least in its official version, froze into a system of mandatory precepts that were codified into creeds and strictly monitored by a powerful hierarchy and imperial decrees.”

This is where formal Christianity is today, where what one believes has becomes more important than what ones does, which is the very opposite of where Jesus and the early Church was. To move beyond this stifling situation is leading to a new period, attested to by the person who described himself as “a practicing Christian, not always a believing one.” It is also attested to by those who call themselves 'spiritual' but not 'religious' which usually means they place more emphasis on what has been 'experienced' than on belief systems, rules and regulations, and other attributes of a church hierarchy. It is witnessed to by those of us who identify with “A progressive Christianity” which really is seeking to return to the spirit and drive of the early church.

“The Future of Faith” is a major statement and hopeful look at a movement that is surfacing within Christianity and other religious traditions by one of the most revered theologians today.

New MemberBrian Mulhahy

We welcome Brian Mulhahy who becomes a member of our congregation on February 7. Brian comes to us b y w a y o f t r a n s f e r o f membership from the East Moriches Presbyterian Church, where he was ordained as an Elder and served several years as Clerk of Session.

2010 Nominating CommitteeKappy Tilney

On Sunday, January 31, 2010 the Nominating Committee (Joann Neal, Elder; Kappy Tilney, Deacon and Dorothy Jones, Congregation) met to discuss the expiring terms of several officers.

The Nominating Committee will be presenting the following slate of officers at the Annual Meeting on February 7, 2010.

Linda Majowka for a 3 year term to succeed herselfSean Moran for a 3 year term to succeed Joann Neal

Katherine Frankie for a 3 year term to succeed herselfRobert Sterling for a 3 year term to succeed Steve Welgoss

The committee extends thanks to all for willingness to serve.

Class of 2013

THE SESSION:

BOARD OF DEACONS

Lenten ServicesOnce again we will be holding Wednesday night Lenten services in cooperation with other churches in the Mid Suffolk Presbyterian Parish. This year's theme is “The Sights and Sounds of Lent”. Each service will begin at 7:30pm and will be followed by a time of refreshment and fellowship.

We will have our individual congregational observances. Once again Alan Stevens will design and lead our service. We are grateful that

Alan has done this each year for us.

Creighton Berry artist and elder in the Westhampton Presbyterian Church will offer a presentation.

Using various musical forms and instruments

From the Psalms to contemporary prayer forms

Featuring the Liturgical Dance MinistryPresbyterian Church of Sweet Hollow

In our individual churches

With Bellport Methodist in Bellport

Early Sunrise Service at the Bellport dock10:00am Morning Worship

February 17

February 24

March 3

March 10

March 17

March 24

April 1

April 2

April 4

ASH WEDNESDAY

Center Moriches“Art”

Old South Haven“Music”

Yapank“Prayer”

East Moriches“Poetry”

Selden“Movement”

MAUNDY THURSDAY

GOOD FRIDAY

EASTER SUNDAY

Building and GroundsHelen Altomare

I would like to thank everyone who has signed up and given time and energy to keep our sanctuary clean. There is a signup sheet on the bulletin board if you are interested in helping. John and Richard have been such a big help in keeping things running smoothly. Thanks to Bobby for shoveling the walks.

Tiles in the Carriage House kitchen have been replaced by several members of one of our AA groups. Many thanks!

You may have noticed we have new doors on the church. The hardware and finishing touches will be completed when the weather warms.

Sunday SchoolDarcy Stevens

Sunday school continues to meet on the 2nd - 5th Sundays of the month. We meet in the Carriage House, starting after the Children's sermon and ending in time for Coffee Hour. Lessons so far this school year have centered on: God welcomes all of us, We are all a part of God's family, and He loves each one of us individually. We are a small but enthusiastic group, and we like singing and having fun together. Jack and Michael also enjoy helping and sharing in the life of our church family. Thanks to all for making the children feel special and loved. They are!

Annual Meeting, Sunday, February 7, 2010

Town Board Approves Caithness Grant

The Annual Meeting of the Congregation and Corporation of the Old South Haven Presbyterian Church will be held Sunday, February 7, 2010, at 11:30 a.m. (following morning worship) at which time reports from officers, boards, and committees will be heard, and such other business that is proper to bring before the body may be acted upon.

As we were going to press, we learned that the Brookhaven Town Board has approved $35,000 of our Caithness Grant Request.

Old South Haven Presbyterian ChurchRev. Thomas J. Philipp, Minister

Mark Quintana, organist & choir director

South Country and Beaverdam Roads(Mail: PO Box 203)

Brookhaven, New York 11719Telephone: 631-286-0542

Email: Web:

ContactUs@OldSouthHavenChurch.orghttp://OldSouthHavenChurch.org

Morning Worship Assignments A message from your editorLinda Scott

The New Year is well underway and with it comes many challenges and concerns as well as countless blessings and inspirations. It is also a time for spiritual growth.

January for most was a month for setting resolutions, planning out the year and wondering what God has in store for us. This year I received a great revelation (if you believe in revelations). One morning I awoke early and found myself very thoughtful. I realized just waiting to hear God's message isn't enough, what I should be asking is - What “I” can do for God?

As we prepare for the Lenten season, let each of us set aside quiet time every day for reflection. By doing so, we settle our minds from busy schedules and all our own desires. The peacefulness will help us focus on His calling.

Thank you for your heartfelt messages and articles for our newsletter. It is one way we not only hear the Word, but carry on His Word.

May you be filled with peace as you walk with Him in deep devotion.

Social Education and ActionNancy Best

A letter has been sent to the Superintendent of Schools of South Country School District. The letter indicated that Old South Haven Church would like to explore the possibility of establishing a yearly award to a high school student. The award would be for the “best” or “most significant” essay on Peacemaking.

Peacemaking will be looked at on all levels: international, national, local, community, within the family and in our interpersonal relations. Our emphasis in an essay contest would be to highlight “those things that make for peace.”

We have had a response from the Superintendent's Office, referring us to the high school principal. Tom Philipp and I will be setting up a meeting to discuss the contest with him. We will keep you posted!

individuals I do not know stacked the shelves, posted prices and helped customers who can be rude when they can't find something or an item is priced wrong. My list could go on and on. It is good to stop once in a while and pretend you have an opportunity, such as a winner at the awards, to show thanks to all the people in your life—many unknown to you by name or even by contribution—who make it possible for you to live and weather all the challenges that life offers.

Why not take a moment, now that you have finished reading this article, to do a quick inventory of those whom you are dependent and offer a prayer of gratitude—better yet, next time you see them say “thank you.”

Pastor’s Corner. Continued from page 1

Date Greeter Lay Leader Coffee Hour07-Feb W. Scott L. Scott C. Kellogg14-Feb K. Barry P. Angus N. Best21-Feb K. Tilney G. LaFace A Wiswall28-Feb Morgans K. Tilney K. Tilney07-Mar W. Scott L. Majowka L. Majowka14-Mar S. Moran F. Decker G. LaFace21-Mar K. Tilney B. Mullahy D. Mayo28-Mar Morgans S. MacKay K. Tilney04-Apr W. Scott J. Deitz R. Thomas11-Apr K. Barry J. Barry H. Altomare18-Apr H. Altomare K. Tilney K. Tilney25-Apr Morgans S. Moran N. Best02-May W. Scott L. Scott J. Neal09-May S. Moran S. Welgoss P. Light16-May K. Tilney D. Mayo S. MacKay23-May J. Neal F. Decker G. LaFace30-May Morgans D. Jones L. Scott/J. Bird06-Jun W. Scott J. Neal C. Kellogg13-Jun K. Barry B. Mullahy A. Wiswall20-Jun H. Altomare L. Majowka L. Majowka27-Jun Morgans A. Stevens D. Stevens

If you have a conflict with your schedule, please callKappy Tilney at 286-0024

COMMUNION:January/Altomare; February/Best; March/Deitz